Automatic pill dispensing machine

ABSTRACT

An automatic pill dispensing machine includes a dialing member, a dialing tray and a releasing member connected to each of the dialing member and the dialing tray. The dialing member includes a transmitting unit, a dialing unit, and a dialing pole movably mounted to dialing unit. At least one slot is defined in the dialing tray. An engaging portion is positioned on the releasing member. The transmitting unit is connected to the engaging portion. When the releasing member rotates, the engaging portion rotates the transmitting unit, the dialing pole drops in and resists against one side in the at least one slot so the dialing tray is rotated by the dialing pole, the dialing pole slides on the dialing member so the dialing member is rotated with the dialing pole.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an automatic pill dispensing machine with pill box releasing apparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

Automatic pill dispensing machines have pill pick-up arms to take out pills from the boxes. Sometimes the automatic pill dispensing machines may lose power, which causes the pill pick-up arms not able to pick up the pills normally.

Therefore, there is a need for improvement in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of an automatic pill dispensing machine.

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of the automatic pill dispensing machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of the automatic pill dispensing machine of FIG. 2, taken along line III-III.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the automatic pill dispensing machine of FIG. 3, in another working state.

FIG. 5 is an assembled view of the automatic pill dispensing machine of FIG. 1, viewed from another aspect.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the automatic pill dispensing machine of FIG. 2, viewed from another aspect.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”

FIGS. 1 to 4 show an automatic pill dispensing machine of the embodiment. The automatic pill dispensing machine includes a driving member 10, a linking member 20, a releasing member 30, a dialing member 40, a dialing tray 50 and a pill box 60. A spring 90 is mounted to the releasing member 30. The pill box 60 accommodates a number of pills (not shown).

The driving member 10 includes a fixing bracket 11 and a first gear 12 fixed on the fixing bracket 11. A number of first teeth 121 are positioned around the first gear 12.

The linking member 20 includes a linking axle 21, a second gear 22 and a resisting bracket 23. A third gear 211 is positioned at a top of the linking axle 21. A number of third teeth 212 are positioned around the third gear 211. A ladder portion 213 is positioned on the linking axle 21 adjacent to the third gear 211. An inserting portion 214 extends downward from a bottom of the linking axle 21. In one embodiment, a width of the inserting portion 214 is substantially less than a diameter of the linking axle 21.

An accommodating portion 221 substantially perpendicularly extends upward from the second gear 22. An inserting hole 222 is defined in the accommodating portion 221. A number of second teeth 223 are positioned around the second gear 22. The resisting bracket 23 includes a bracket body 231. A resisting tab 232 substantially perpendicularly extends from a bottom edge of the bracket body 231. In one embodiment, the bracket body 231 is substantially arc-shaped.

The releasing member 30 includes a pivoting axle 31. A first pivoting hole 311 is defined in the pivoting axle 31. A releasing arm 32 substantially perpendicularly extends from a top of the pivoting axle 31. An engaging portion 33 substantially perpendicularly extends from a bottom of the pivoting axle 31. A number of fourth teeth 331 are positioned on a side edge of the engaging portion 33. A pivoting tab 332 extends upward from a bottom of the engaging portion 33. A first end of the spring 90 is fixed on the releasing arm 32. A second end of the spring 90 resists against the automatic pill dispensing machine.

The dialing member 40 includes a transmitting unit 41 and a dialing unit 42. A number of fifth teeth 411 are positioned on a side edge of the transmitting unit 41. A second pivoting hole 412 is defined at a top of the transmitting unit 41. Two supporting portions 413 substantially diagonally extend into the transmitting unit 41. A pivoting portion 414 is positioned on the transmitting unit 41 adjacent to each of the two supporting portions 413.

A blocking portion 415 is movably mounted to each pivoting portion 414. A first end of each blocking portion 415 is pivotally mounted to the corresponding pivoting portion 414. A second end of each blocking portion 415 connects with the corresponding supporting portion 413. A dialing pole 421 is movably mounted to dialing unit 42.

A third pivoting hole 422 is defined at a top of the dialing unit 42. A restricting portion 423 substantially perpendicularly extends from a top of the dialing pole 421. In one embodiment, a diameter of the second pivoting hole 412 is substantially equal to a diameter of the third pivoting hole 422. A distance between the two pivoting portions 414 is substantially greater than a width of the restricting portion 423.

The dialing tray 50 includes a tray body 51 and a fourth gear 52 mounted to the tray body 51. A number of slots 511 and an opening 512 are defined in the tray body 51. A fourth pivoting hole 521 is defined in the fourth gear 52. A number of sixth teeth 522 are positioned around the fourth gear 52. The pill box 60 is fixed on the tray body 51.

In assembly, the resisting tab 232 of the resisting bracket 23 resists against the second gear 22. The second gear 22 and the resisting bracket 23 are located in the first pivoting hole 311 in the pivoting axle 31. The linking axle 21 is located in the first pivoting hole 311. The inserting portion 214 is inserted in the inserting hole 222 in the accommodating portion 221. The bracket body 231 resists against the ladder portion 213 of the linking axle 21. The linking member 20 is mounted to the releasing member 30.

The assembled linking member 20 and the releasing member 30 are moved toward the dialing tray 50. The pivoting tab 332 is inserted in the fourth pivoting hole 521 of the fourth gear 52. The second teeth 223 of the second gear 22 engage with the sixth teeth 522 of the fourth gear 52. The second pivoting hole 412 within the transmitting unit 41 is aligned with the third pivoting hole 422 in the dialing unit 42.

A pivoting number (not shown) passes through the second pivoting hole 412 and the third pivoting hole 422. The transmitting unit 41 is mounted to the dialing unit 42. The restricting portion 423 is above one of the blocking portions 415. The driving member 10, the assembled transmitting unit 41 and the dialing unit 42, and the pill box 60 are mounted to the dialing tray 50.

FIGS. 1 to 6 show that in use, when the automatic pill dispensing machine is powered on, the releasing arm 32 of the releasing member 30 is driven by a force and moves toward the fixing bracket 11. The second end of the spring 90 resists against the automatic pill dispensing machine. The spring 90 is elastically deformed. The first teeth 121 of the first gear 12 engage with the third teeth 212 of the third gear 211. The first gear 12 rotates the third gear 211, the second gear 22 and the fourth gear 52 in sequence. The fourth gear 52 rotates the pill box 60 fixed on the tray body 51. The pill box 60 is rotated to the opening 512 of the tray body 51. The pills in the pill box 60 can be received by the automatic pill dispensing machine.

When the automatic pill dispensing machine is powered off, the releasing arm 32 is not driven by the force. The second end of the spring 90 does not resist against the automatic pill dispensing machine. The spring 90 is elastically returned. The first teeth 121 disengage from the third teeth 212. The releasing arm 32 rotates toward the dialing member 40 by the spring 90 round the pivoting axle 31. The fourth teeth 331 of the engaging portion 33 engage with the fifth teeth 411 of the transmitting unit 41. The engaging portion 33 rotates the transmitting unit 41. The restricting portion 423 drops to a gap between the two blocking portions 415 from above one of the blocking portions 415. The dialing pole 421 drops in one of the slots 511 of the tray body 51.

The dialing unit 42 is rotated around the pivoting number. The dialing pole 421 rotates together with the dialing unit 42. The restricting portion 423 on the dialing pole 421 moves diagonally along one of the two supporting portions 413. When the restricting portion 423 moves to a connecting point of the one supporting portion 413 and the corresponding blocking portion 415, the blocking portion 415 rotates around the corresponding pivoting portion 414. The restricting portion 423 passes through the corresponding blocking portion 415 and is above the blocking portion 415 again. While the restricting portion 423 moves diagonally along the supporting portion 413, the dialing pole 421 resists against one side in the one slot 511. The dialing pole 421 rotates the tray body 51. The pill box 60 is rotated to the opening 512. The pills in the pill box 60 can be received by the automatic pill dispensing machine.

In one embodiment, when the dialing pole 421 dials the slot 511 one time, the pill box 60 rotates on the tray body 51 is a distance substantially equal to a distance between two slots 511. A number of pill boxes 60 can be fixed on the tray body 51. When the tray body 51 needs to be rotated more times, the dialing unit 42 is rotated around the pivoting number to drop the dialing pole 421 in the slot 511 again. The dialing unit 42 is rotated around the pivoting number again. The dialing pole 421 rotates the tray body 51. The pill box 60 is rotated to the opening 512.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and the arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An automatic pill dispensing machine, comprising: a dialing member comprising a transmitting unit, a dialing unit, and a dialing pole movably mounted to dialing unit; a dialing tray, at least one slot being defined in the dialing tray; and a releasing member connected to each of the dialing member and the dialing tray, an engaging portion positioned on the releasing member, the transmitting unit being connected to the engaging portion; wherein when the releasing member rotates, the engaging portion rotates the transmitting unit, the dialing pole drops in and resists against one side in the at least one slot so the dialing tray is rotated by the dialing pole, the dialing pole slides on the dialing member so the dialing member is rotated with the dialing pole.
 2. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 1, further comprising a restricting portion extending from the dialing pole; two supporting portions each substantially diagonally extend in the transmitting unit; a pivoting portion is positioned on the transmitting unit adjacent to each of the two supporting portions; a blocking portion is movably mounted to each of the pivoting portion; a first end of each of the blocking portions is pivotally mounted to a corresponding one of the pivoting portion; and a second end of each of the blocking portions connects with a corresponding one of the supporting portion.
 3. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 2, wherein when the dialing unit is rotated, the dialing pole rotates together with the dialing unit, the restricting portion moves diagonally along one of the two supporting portions; when the restricting portion moves to a connecting point of the one supporting portion and a corresponding one of the blocking portion, the blocking portion rotates around the corresponding pivoting portion; and the restricting portion passes through the corresponding blocking portion and is above the corresponding blocking portion.
 4. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 2, wherein a distance between the two pivoting portions is substantially greater than a width of the restricting portion.
 5. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 2, further comprising a driving member, a linking member mounted to the releasing member and a pill box fixed on the dialing tray; an opening is defined in the dialing tray; the linking member is connected to each of the driving member and the dialing tray; when the automatic pill dispensing machine is powered on, the driving member rotates the dialing tray via the linking member, and the dialing tray rotates the pill box to the opening.
 6. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 5, wherein the driving member comprises a first gear; a number of first teeth are positioned around the first gear; the linking member comprises a linking axle and a second gear; a third gear is positioned on the linking axle; a number of third teeth are positioned around the third gear; and the first teeth engage with the third teeth.
 7. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 6, further comprising a number of fourth teeth positioned on a side edge of the engaging portion; a number of fifth teeth are positioned on a side edge of the transmitting unit; and the fourth teeth engage with the fifth teeth.
 8. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 7, further comprising a number of second teeth positioned around the second gear; the dialing tray comprises a tray body and a fourth gear mounted to the tray body; a number of sixth teeth are positioned around the fourth gear; and the second teeth engage with the sixth teeth.
 9. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 8, further comprising a releasing arm extending from the releasing member; a spring is mounted to the releasing member; a first end of the spring is fixed on the releasing arm; and a second end of the spring resists against the automatic pill dispensing machine.
 10. An automatic pill dispensing machine, comprising: a dialing member comprising a transmitting unit, a dialing unit, and a dialing pole movably mounted to dialing unit; a dialing tray, at least one slot being defined in the dialing tray, and an opening being defined in the dialing tray; a pill box fixed on the dialing tray; and a releasing member connected to each of the dialing member and the dialing tray, an engaging portion positioned on the releasing member, the transmitting unit being connected to the engaging portion; wherein when the releasing member rotates, the engaging portion rotates the transmitting unit, the dialing pole drops in and resists against one side in the at least one slot to the dialing tray if rotated by the dialing pole, the dialing pole slides on the dialing member to the dialing member is rotated with the dialing member, and the dialing tray rotates the pill box to the opening.
 11. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 10, further comprising a restricting portion extending from the dialing pole; two supporting portions each substantially diagonally extend in the transmitting unit; a pivoting portion is positioned on the transmitting unit adjacent to each of the two supporting portions; a blocking portion is movably mounted to each of the pivoting portion; a first end of each of the blocking portions is pivotally mounted to a corresponding one of the pivoting portion; and a second end of each of the blocking portions connects with a corresponding one of the supporting portion.
 12. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein when the dialing unit is rotated, the dialing pole rotates together with the dialing unit, the restricting portion moves diagonally along one of the two supporting portions; when the restricting portion moves to a connecting point of the one supporting portion and a corresponding one of the blocking portion, the blocking portion rotates around the corresponding pivoting portion; and the restricting portion passes through the corresponding blocking portion and is above the corresponding blocking portion.
 13. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 11, wherein a distance between the two pivoting portions is substantially greater than a width of the restricting portion.
 14. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 11, further comprising a driving member and a linking member mounted to the releasing member; the linking member is connected to each of the driving member and the dialing tray; when the automatic pill dispensing machine is powered on, the driving member rotates the dialing tray via the linking member, and the dialing tray rotates the pill box to the opening.
 15. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 14, wherein the driving member comprises a first gear; a number of first teeth are positioned around the first gear; the linking member comprises a linking axle and a second gear; a third gear is positioned on the linking axle; a number of third teeth are positioned around the third gear; and the first teeth engage with the third teeth.
 16. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 15, further comprising a number of fourth teeth positioned on a side edge of the engaging portion; a number of fifth teeth are positioned on a side edge of the transmitting unit; and the fourth teeth engage with the fifth teeth.
 17. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 16, further comprising a number of second teeth positioned around the second gear; the dialing tray comprises a tray body and a fourth gear mounted to the tray body; a number of sixth teeth are positioned around the fourth gear; and the second teeth engage with the sixth teeth.
 18. The automatic pill dispensing machine of claim 17, further comprising a releasing arm extending from the releasing member; a spring is mounted to the releasing member; a first end of the spring is fixed on the releasing arm; and a second end of the spring resists against the automatic pill dispensing machine. 